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Background: The Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is one of the largest families in terms of species representation in the plant kingdom. It is also a prominent family in the field of phytochemicals and pharmacology. The family is also quite prominent in the production of spices and condiments and food supplements in nutrition, aside from the potential of species in the family to induce apoptotic, antimicrobial, antitumor, and hepatoprotective activities. Objective: This work presents a detailed structural elucidation and functional aspects of phytochemicals from the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family. Method: Furthermore, the application of members of this family in traditional and modern pharmacology is emphasized. This review also highlights the linkage of phytochemicals used in the conventional system of medication for the development of novel therapeutics through a chain of pre-clinical and clinical trials. Conclusion: This study may represent a valuable step ahead in the clinical development of natural drugs for curing several ailments, including respiratory and virus-related diseases.

Abstract: Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify monoclonal antibody (B[a]P-13) Background: Only a few studies have focused on the analysis using specific antibodies in the sandwich ELISA method to each B[a]P in herbal medicine products. In contrast to the sandwich ELISA method, many competitive ELISA methods using specific antibodies such as benzo[a]pyrene monoclonal antibody (B[a]P-13) and a goat anti-mouse IgG (H+L) cross-adsorbed secondary antibody, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were developed. Introduction: The objective of this study was to develop and validate the method for the response of the benzo[a]pyrene monoclonal antibody (B[a]P-13) and goat anti-mouse IgG (H+L) cross-adsorbed secondary antibody (HRP) to prepare the immunogen and its application to detect the benzo[a]pyrene in various herbal medicine products. Methods: This research method includes preparation of B[a]P-protein conjugates, sampling and extraction procedure for herbal medicines, sandwich ELISA procedure, evaluation of cross-reactivity for determination, matrix effect of the organic solvents, correlation of benzo[a]pyrene detection ELISA compared to HPLC-FLD in herbal medicine products. Results: The sandwich ELISA method for B[a]P was validated in linearity (R2 > 0.99), the limit of detection (LOD) (0.080.19 μg/kg) and limit of quantification (LOQ) (0.240.57 μg/kg), accuracy (95.58117.06 %), and precision (3.8010.26 %). The cross-reactivity (CR) was found for B[a]P (100%), CHR (39%), B[b]F (27%), and B[a]A (41%). As a solvent, acetonitrile (MeCN) was used to express the normalized sandwich ELISA calibration curves with benzo[a]pyrene monoclonal antibody (B[a]P-13). The antigen-antibody binding in sandwich ELISA was decreased about 10 times with increasing the salt content (0.0060.18 mol/L phosphate to 20400 mmol/L). The pH range from 6 to 9 was not considered to affect the performance of the sandwich ELISA. Correlation of B[a]P detection in herbal medicines with ELISA compared to HPLC-FLD expressed good correlation (R2 = 0.991) and the slope of the graph for the ELISA (B[a]P-equivalents μg/kg) value divided by the HPLC-FLD (B[a]P μg/kg) value was 0.7292. Conclusion: Therefore, sandwich ELISA method using benzo[a]pyrene monoclonal antibody (B[a]P-13) could be an alternative screening method for detection of B[a]P in herbal medicine products.

Background: Active principles from natural sources, in the form of extracts and natural compounds, provide an infinite number of bioactive compounds with consummate disposal of chemical diversity. These compounds and active principles are of utmost importance in the discovery of drugs of biological origin particularly, from plants. Objective: Development of resourceful technology for the isolation and extraction of bioactive compounds of medicinal importance is considered as an important task for researchers. There are a number of extraction, isolation, and characterization techniques currently utilized; however, most are laborious and use toxic chemicals and huge quantities of raw materials with a very low output. There are a number of abiotic and biotic factors that affects the quality and the quantity of plants bioactive compounds. Considering this, the objectives of the current review are to discuss the various extraction and characterization techniques used to isolate the essential bioactive compounds from three plant species and the biotic and abiotic factors that affect the quantity and quality of the plants secondary metabolites. Methods: Many advanced technologies have been developed and tested for extraction, characterization, and their capacity for high yield products, and those requiring less application of toxic solvents are investigated continuously. Conclusion: In this context, the present review summarizes the different types of extraction and characterization techniques utilized commercially by the food, drug, and pharmaceutical industries for better output and environmentally- and healthbenefiting products with special reference to three industrially important plants: Leonotis leonurus (L.) R.Br. (Lamiaceae) and Santalum album L. (Santalaceae) and Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Aloaceae or Asphodelaceae).

Nutritional supplementations are a form of nutrition sources that may help in improving the health complexities of a person throughout his or her life span. Being also categorized as food supplementations, nutraceuticals are products that are extracted from edible sources with medical benefits as well as primary nutritional values. Nutraceuticals can be considered as functional foods. There are evidences that nutraceutical supplementations can alter the commensal gut microbiota and help to prevent or fight against chronic non-communicable degenerative diseases in adults, including neurological disorders (Autism Spectrum Disorder [ASD], Parkinson’s disease [PD], Multiple sclerosis [MS]) and metabolic disorders (Type-II diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). They can even lessen the complexities of preterm babies like extra-uterine growth restriction, necrotizing enterocolitis, infant eczema and allergy (during pregnancy) as well as bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Molecular perception of inflammatory and apoptotic modulators regulating the pathogenesis of these health risks, their control and management by probiotics and prebiotics could further emphasize the scientific overview of their utility. In this study, the pivotal role of nutraceutical supplementations in regulating or modulating molecular pathways in the above non-communicable diseases is briefly described. This work also gives an overall introduction of the sophisticated genome-editing techniques and advanced delivery systems in therapeutic activities applicable under these health risks.

Background: Cancer remains a major health concern throughout history and is responsible for huge numbers of deaths globally. The sensitivity of cancer cells to anticancer drugs is a crucial factor for developing effective treatments. Methods: Pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepines coupled with benzothiazole and fluorinated aryl thiourea scaffolds have been synthesized, and their potential as cytotoxic agents was investigated against different cancer cell lines such as human ovarian cancer (SK-OV-3), cervical cancer (HeLa), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and non-small-cell lung carcinoma (A549). Cytotoxicity of new compounds was confirmed using SRB assay against non-cancer MDCK cell line. In addition, free radical scavenging activity of new pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepines was examined by adopting DPPH and ABTS assays. Results: The results concluded that the presence and position of fluorine atom(s) on the thiourea unit played a significant role in order to gain anticipated efficacies. Results of the cytotoxic assay against non-cancer MDCK cells showed that these new derivatives are safe to study further. New structures were confirmed using spectral and elemental analyses. Conclusion: Pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepines endowed with a benzothiazole entity and fluorinated aryl thiourea substituents were derived aiming to furnish remarkable antioxidant and anticancer activities. New molecules generated showed interesting biological result correlated with the structure and substituent of the final derivatives. Specifically, numbers and position of fluorine atoms on the thiourea unit influenced the biological profile of the mentioned compounds.

Background Berberine, a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids has drawn high attention for its several biological potencies. Objective To furnish new rationalized derivatives based on berberine core which can deliver promising antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Method The N-Mannich base of an isoquinoline alkaloid, berberine, bearing substituted benzothiazole moieties was obtained. Novel synthesized analogues were in vitro screened for antioxidant efficacy toward 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) free radicals and in vitro cytotoxicity towards cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and CaSki), an ovarian cancer cell line (SK-OV-3) and human renal cancer cell line (Caki-2). Cytotoxicity of the compounds toward normal cell lines was examined using the Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) non-cancer cell line. Results Analogues bearing a methoxy functional group (5e), acid functionality (5c), and a cyano group (5m) showed remarkable radical scavenging potential in DPPH and ABTS bioassays. Potent cytotoxicity exhibited by berberine against the HeLa cell line was attributable to the presence of a 2-aminobenzothaizole moiety (5a) and its 6-chloro congener (5g) on the berberine core, and the 6-cyano group (5m) on the benzothiazole ring revealed strong sensitivity for the CaSki cell line, whereas subjected scaffolds demonstrated diminished activity against the SK-OV-3 cell line. In addition, the compound with a 2-aminobenzothaizole moiety (5a), compound with methoxy functional group (5e) and compound with cyano group appeared with the most significant cytotoxicity effect in Caki-2 cell line. Their structures have been elucidated by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analyses (CHN) essential research. Conclusion N-Mannich bases of berberine were efficiently generated utilizing pharmacologically diverse substituted 2-aminobenzothiazole entities and final compounds were found remarkably active in antioxidant and cytotoxic assay. Hence, such types of compounds can be further studied or rationalized in future drug discovery studies.

Cancer accounts for a number of deaths each year. Consequently, prevention of this deadly disease is more challenging and hence the invention of new anticancer agents is of utmost importance. The current review elaborates the importance of indole designs as patented in the form of anticancer druglike molecules targeting different cites of biological arena. Specific attention was given to kinases such as platelet-derived growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and fibroblast growth factor receptor, Bruton's tyrosine kinase, anaplastic lymphoma kinase, Janus kinase, cyclin-dependent kinase aurora kinases A, B and C, checkpoint kinases, protein kinase R, Pim kinases, phosphoinositide 3- kinase, altered proteins kinases, polo-like kinase and many more. Moreover, the article summarizes the mode of action through the particular functions of kinases and the inhibitory potential of indole derivatives toward specific kinase. Certain patents gathered in the existing review article suggest that indole core can be a versatile foundation to discover drug-like kinase inhibitor molecules and modification of substituents existing on the indole moiety may have important impact on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics aspects of the resultant scaffolds. The information presented here would gather a great deal of interest to identify the new molecular designs bearing indole nucleus presenting novel anticancer drugs with a wide variety of biological targets involved in cancer pathology focusing on the inhibition of tyrosine kinases, serine/threonine-specific protein kinases, cyclin-dependent kinases, lipid kinases and altered protein kinases.